Study Desk

as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever."

And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they would have named him Zechari'ah after his father,

but his mother said, "Not so; he shall be called John."

And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he would have him called.

And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all marveled.

And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.

And his father Zechari'ah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people,

and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,

as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant,

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,

And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city.

to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him;

and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.